


Broken Family

by MagicQuill42



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Intrusive Thoughts, Kid Logic, Kid Sides (Sanders Sides), King Creativity, M/M, The Split, angst-heavy, as in the logic little kids use, though logic is also a kid in this fic, weird nicknames
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicQuill42/pseuds/MagicQuill42
Summary: It wasn’t always Light Sides versus Dark Sides. They’d been children once, after all, and children so rarely have a concrete concept of anything. But Thomas was growing up. And with growing up came changes...Not all of them good.
Relationships: Morality | Patton Sanders/Creativity | Romulus "King" Sanders
Comments: 15
Kudos: 68





	1. Make New Family

It wasn’t always Light Sides versus Dark Sides. They’d been children once, after all, and children so rarely have a concrete concept of anything - morality least of all. Patton himself wasn’t even morals back in the day. He was Feelings. Oh, he had a concept of what adults considered good and bad, certainly, he knew what the grown-ups liked and what they didn’t. But first and foremost, he was Feelings.

And King loved him. 

In the beginning it had been the two of them and only them. Creativity and Feelings. They’d only been kids, but they were as in love as two kids could be, at least as much as their understanding of love would let them. 

They kissed (on the cheeks) and held hands and cuddled together. King would tell stories or lead Feelings through the Imagination’s wilds and Feelings would gasp in all the right places. Feelings would play chef and King would pump in just the right amount of magic to make the plastic food real.

But the best thing, the very best activity in both their opinions, was playing house. 

Or rather, castle. A castle with two kings, both daddies, though sometimes Feelings would ask to be the mommy instead. King didn’t mind. He didn’t mind anything Feelings asked for. He’d once told Feelings he could ask for a bunch of heads on a spike and King would still give it to him. Feelings told him that was gross and that he wouldn’t ask for that, but King only kissed the tip of his nose and said he knew. And that he loved Feelings so so so much more than heads on a spike could show. 

Which made Feelings giggle. 

It was gross, but sometimes King did gross things. It didn’t make Feelings love him any less. Even if sometimes the spooky stories got a little too spooky, King would always reel back and cuddle Feelings until the tears stopped. 

It was nice. It was peaceful. 

Until it wasn’t.

***

King felt like someone had electrocuted him when he heard Feelings shriek. He ran across the mindscape as fast as he could, at his love’s side almost instantly.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” He exclaimed.

Feelings turned to face him, holding a baby doll in his arms and a big, big grin on his face, so big King was worried his face was going to split right open.

“I found a baby!” Feelings exclaimed.

King blinked and looked closer at the doll. Only… it wasn’t a doll! It’s sides were going up and down and it squinted up at King with tears building in it’s bright brown eyes. Er- his bright brown eyes.

“Who is he?” King asked. 

Feelings shrugged. “Not sure yet! But now we’re actually daddies! We’ve got a baby!”  
King grinned. “Yeah! Oh, we have to show him the home in the meadow! And the castle! And the dragon cave and-”

“Slow down, Jim Dear.” Feelings giggled. “He’s too little right now! Give him a day to grow, and then we can go adventuring!” 

King pouted. “Okay, Wendy Darling. Only for you.”

Feelings smiled and kissed his cheek. Then kissed the baby’s cheek for good measure. 

They did end up taking the baby to the meadow house. It was the best place for playing house, and since now they had someone to play the baby it was even better! They gave him a pretty crib and a stuffed teddy and put him in the living room so that they could pretend to make food and watch the baby and go to work and come home and do all the other adult things! The baby only fussed a little, chewing on his bright purple onesie and swatting at them when they tried to change him.

Feelings would only coo and rock him, which soothed him. But it wasn’t until King sung too that he’d really calm down and drift off for a nap. 

That night there was a small argument about who’s room the baby would sleep in. King didn’t like saying no to Feelings but he really wanted this and the baby wouldn’t be a baby in the morning even though he’d always be their baby so please??? 

Eventually, they both agreed to just sleep in Feelings’s room instead. King liked that much better, since it meant he and Feelings could snuggle to sleep. The baby was put in a different bed, though, since he’d grow in his sleep. Which just meant that King could hug Feelings from behind and snuggle into his hair just the way he liked to. 

It was the best. He fell asleep fast. 

***

They woke up the next morning and looked over at the baby’s bed. Just like they knew, he wasn’t a baby anymore! He was an eight-year-old side just like the rest of them! He was curled up under the covers, but awake, watching them both with big big eyes.

King idly wondered what it’d be like to turn those eyes into crystals and put them on a necklace. He’s sure they’d be pretty.

Feelings was the first to smile at the new side and gently ask him what his purpose was. The new side bit his lip and squinted at them for a moment.

“I’m… Fear.” He said in a small voice. 

Feelings let out a small gasp. “Does that mean you’re my baby?”

Fear blinked. “What?”

“Well, I’m Feelings. And fear is a feeling, right? So does that make you my son?”

“...I guess?” 

Feelings squealed happily and threw his arms around Fear. “It’s so good to meet you! I’m Feelings, and I’m your daddy! And this is King Creativity! He’s your other daddy!”

Fear gave him a shy wave. “Hi.”  
“Hello fair Fear.” King smiled gently. “We’re gonna take good care of you, okay?”  
Fear hesitated for a heartbeat… Then his face grew a small smile and he nodded.   
“Okay.”

***

Fear was the BEST. Except for Feelings and for King himself, of course. But the best besides them. He wasn’t very good at games, but he was a really good singer when they watched Disney movies! And he always played the baby very well, since being the baby wasn’t very active, and he was a really really good cuddler too! King and Feelings agreed that he was the best son they could have asked for, which made his face go really pink but that was okay. 

King did wonder what other colors faces could turn, though. Purple? Blue? Green and red? Those two were his favorites. He’d have to experiment in the imagination later… Fear and Feelings didn’t seem to like the idea of experimenting in the living room. 

But life was good! They were a perfect little family, two daddies and a baby. Daddies who would snuggle Fear every time he got a nightmare and cook him really nice food and make sure he went to bed on time. Fear told them they were very good daddies and they promised him he was the best baby ever. Cause they were! They were a wonderful little family! Life was good.

Until he heard Feeling scream again one day. 

Yet again, he raced to Feelings’ side, only this time he picked Fear up on his way. They arrived at his side, Fear dangling from King’s arms, very confused and very alarmed. 

“Feelings?”

Yet again, his love turned around, holding a small baby in his arms. 

“Another son!” He said happily. “Look, isn’t he precious?”

King cooed over him while Fear’s nose wrinkled. 

“He’s really small.” Fear commented. 

“You were too.” King explains. “Sides are always small until they get a full night’s sleep. Then they grow full sized.”  
“What would happen if they just kept growing?” Fear asked.

King hummed. “They’d probably just keep growing and growing and growing until they filled the whole mindscape. Or just exploded.”

Fear’s eyes grew wide and he stared at the new baby. 

“But that won’t happen.” Feelings said softly. “We’ll wake him up first.”

Fear let out a little breath. “Okay. ...Does this mean I can’t play the baby anymore?”

Feelings thought carefully. “I think you still could. We can have two babies! And this baby may not want to be our baby when he wakes up tomorrow. We’ll figure it out!”

“Okay,” Fear nodded, satisfied. “...King Daddy? Could we go to the cave now? I wanna try and see the dragon again.”

King beamed. “Of course, my little prince! You know how to get me if it’s too scary?”

Fear nodded eagerly. “Okay, King Daddy.”

“We’re gonna come too!” Feelings said. “The baby and I are gonna play house for a little bit. And then you guys can play after?”

King smiled and kissed his cheek. “Okay Wendy Darling.”

“Be safe Jim Dear!”

King smiled and transported them all. He set Fear down outside the entrance and gave him his favorite spear and lamp and one last hug before sending him inside. Then he sat down to make a mushroom and flower bouquet while he waited. 

He was about halfway through when Fear’s summons tugged at him gently. He sunk out, rising up next to his baby and conjuring a big cannon to take the dragon out. Then he scooped Fear back up and told him how wonderful he did on the way to the meadow house. He promised he was impressed and told Fear how he’d been even longer this time than the last! He did so good!

Fear snuggled close in his arms, not letting go even as they reached the meadow house. He’d latched on now and wasn’t letting go, having been too scared by the dragon to risk losing his daddy. King didn’t mind, though. He loved his biggest baby too much to care. Plus that meant that when they got home the new baby got to keep the crib! Fear just stayed snuggled up in King’s arms. 

It was a good day. Feelings wanted to be the mommy today so he played at cooking and cleaning while King pretended to have a “take your kids to work” day! King acted out a very full business day, with Fear asking important business questions and the new baby babbling them in all the right places. And at the end of it they all got to go back to the meadow house and get kisses from Feelings! It was great. 

Just like last time, they all settled into Feeling’s room, snuggling together and putting the baby in a different bed. King settled into Feelings’ side, breathing in the warm scent of his hair as Fear cuddled into his back. He wondered if this made everyone feel safe or if it was just him. He drifted off thinking of brown sugar cookies and cocoa.

***

They woke the next morning to the new side nudging them all. The same as last time, Feelings leapt up and gave him a big hug, though this side looked a little more disgruntled by it.

“Please remove yourself.” He grumbled. 

Feelings looked a little sad but did as he asked. “So what’s your name?”

The new side thought for a minute, putting his hand to his chin. “I believe… Facts. I am Facts.”

Feelings let out a soft “ooo” sound. “Hm, that’s not a feeling but do you want to be our baby anyway?” 

Facts frowned at him. “...I’m not a baby. I’m just as old as you.”

“No see, we’re a family.” King said, smiling wide. “Feelings and I are the daddies, Fear is the big brother, and you can be the baby! If you want.”

Facts’ nose wrinkled. “Do I have to be the baby? Can’t I just be the little brother?” 

Feelings and King looked at one another. They’d never thought of that! King shrugged.

“I don’t see why not!” He grinned. “Okay! You can be the little brother, then!”

Facts nodded. “Excellent. ...How do you do that?”

“...I don’t know.” Feelings said. “I’ve seen cartoons with little brothers in them, though! Maybe that’s how.”

They all concluded that watching cartoons would be a very good way to find out what little brothers did and ended up spending the rest of the day squished together on the couch to watch a whole bunch of them. It was cozy, but getting a little too close to too cozy. King made a mental post it note to conjure a bigger one tomorrow. Maybe an L-shaped one. One really big so that they all fit but could still snuggle together if they wanted. All of them! Fear, Facts, Feelings and himself. 

Hm. Kinda weird that he was the only one that didn’t start with F. Maybe he could rename himself “Fun” or something. He’d like to match someone. But then again…

He looked over the other sides, all piled up and squished together, Facts dozing off a little bit as the twelfth episode of Ninja Turtles played in front of them. This was good. They were good. These guys were all he needed.

***

Facts, it turned out, was no fun at all to take into the imagination. King had done his very best to impress him but all he’d ever do was point out how the things happening couldn’t be happening and how they were impossible in the real world. This always turned into an argument about how the real world was boring- or in Fear’s case, scary- and it almost always turned into Facts getting mad and storming off to Feelings to tattle. 

Feelings was never mad about it though. He just gave them ideas about how to be nicer about it all and to maybe make the imagination more realistic? That comment kinda hurt though… Feelings had always loved the imagination, but because some of the things couldn’t happen outside of it, all of a sudden it wasn’t good enough? That wasn’t fair! The whole POINT of the imagination was that things that happened there couldn’t happen in other places! He thought Feelings would be on his side! Wasn’t he always?

King scowled at the rock in front of him. It was just one more part of an unrealistic daydream. Just like everything around him. Feeling a big surge of anger, King summoned his spear and jabbed it at the rock as hard as he could. It cracked and split open, revealing a bunch of gemstones inside just like in that one Barbie movie. 

...That was kinda cool. ...How many other things had things inside them when you split them open?

King ended up spending the rest of that day there, jabbing and cutting and slicing until everything around him was in two parts, showing off the insides. Rocks had gemstones but only sometimes. Trees had wood. Rabbits had a bunch of squishy red stuff like organs and blood. Rainbows had light. Leaves had more leaf stuff. 

And when it was all done? King had no more anger. He felt loads better. 

He rolled back his shoulders and waved a hand, fixing everything to be back how it was. Then he left to go tell Facts he was sorry. Realistic stuff could be fun after all!

***

A knock sounded on King’s door, making him stumble out of bed less gracefully than he would have liked to pretend he was capable of. He reached the door, plush comforter still wrapped around his waist. 

He opened the door, rubbing one eye. “‘Ello?” 

Facts stood there, trembling a little and clutching his space blanket. King blinked down at him, brows coming together. 

“You okay, factoid-droid?”

Facts shook his head carefully. 

“Wanna tell me what’s wrong?” King asked, voice growing gentler.

Facts shook his head again.

“...Wanna crawl into bed with me?” King asked. “It’s lucky you came, actually. I just woke up from a nightmare and I could use some help getting back to sleep. Would you mind indulging me?”

Facts hesitated. “‘S not- it makes no sense. It’s illogical. Snuggling doesn’t help sleeping or make nightmares go away. That’s not how brains work.”

“Isn’t it, though?” King smiled. “You know that if babies don’t get touched enough they could die.”

Facts’ eyes widened. “They can?”

King nodded wisely. “Yeah. I read about it yesterday. Apparently if they only get touched to be fed and changed it doesn’t do the right things for them and they can die or something. If it hurts babies, then it can probably hurt bigger kids too if it happens too much.”

Facts hesitates a little longer before slowly stepping into the room. “Then I suppose… I will help you recover from your nightmare.”

King smiled. “Thank you, tiny Tesla.”

They curled up together, Facts pushing aside a few of the many pillows to make room for himself. He probably intended to linger on the edges but as soon as they were both in the bed they drew together like magnets. King let Facts curl into his chest and held him close. He ran his fingers through his hair gently and settled in.

“...Creativity?” asked a small voice. “...Do you like me?”

King paused, his heart breaking just a little.

“Oh Facts… I don’t just like you!” He exclaimed softly. “I love you, Facts. You’re my little scientist. My little baby boy.” 

Facts huffed, air puffing against King’s crown pyjamas. “I’m not a baby.”

“No but you’re my baby.” King said. “Mine and Feelings. And we love you no matter what, okay?”

Facts nodded, relaxing against him. “Okay. ...I love you too, Daddy.”

King softened and held Facts a little closer. 

“I love you too, Little Einstein.”

***

King was the one to find the next baby. He was curled up in the imagination, under a bush just outside the dragon’s cave and bundled in a yellow blanket. Half his face was covered in scales, which King couldn’t decide if that was cool or creepy.

He scooped up the baby, nonetheless and sunk out to his sweetheart’s side. He gave Feelings a big grin. 

“Wendy Darling, I’ve got a surprise for you!” He said.

Feelings turned to him, curious. His eyes landed on the new baby and lit up.

“Another?” He exclaimed. “Thomas sure is growing fast!”

“I know, right?” King beamed. “Our little family keeps growing!”

Feelings’ smile grew and he wrapped his arms around King’s neck. “Growing and growing and growing! We’re gonna be such good daddies!”

“The best!” 

***

Facts was very happy to hear he didn’t have to play the baby any more. In fact (heh heh) it turned out that he made a very good big brother! He read to the baby from one of his big, big books, which they both seemed to have fun with! Facts would read whatever he liked and smiled the whole time. The new baby would just chew on his pjs and stare at him, but Feelings said that was “I’m having fun” in Baby. 

They all curled up in Feeling’s bed that night, though it was a little small. So small, in fact, that Feelings had to curl up on King’s chest. Not that King really minded, of course. It’s just… Well… He’d been reading some stuff lately. And having Feelings  _ right there  _ was making it all pop right into his head VERY loudly. He swallowed it as best as he could, giving Feelings nothing but big big smiles. He even pressed a small kiss to his Wendy Darling’s head before drifting off! See? Best behavior. 

And the next morning, the newest member of the family told him he was Lies. Feelings squealed happily and said that since lies took Creativity that made him offic’ally their little boy! Their baby! Facts told him he was saying officially wrong but that’s okay, no one else really cared that much. 

That day was the best game of house since ever! Lies liked laying in the crib almost as much as Fear did, but he was also super happy to chase everyone else around in tag! And he knew all kinds of business stuff and offered to play the boss in Take Your Baby To Work Day! And then at the end of it, they all snuggled up on the newer, bigger couch and watched Tarzan together! Which was the bestest part of all. 

They were a family, plain and simple. And Lies only made it more complete.

***

King’s head was splitting open. He was sure of it. Someone had taken a meat cleaver to his skull and busted it right open down the middle and now he was bleeding out onto all his pillows and-

He groaned. No more thinking. It hurt too much.

A knock came on his door, though it might as well have been coming from inside his head. He groaned again but got up and answered the door.

“Yes?”

“I hate the new baby.” 

Facts stormed into the room and jumped onto the bed, his face as angry as any other fourteen year old side of a human being King had ever seen. King sighed, rubbing his temple a little as he sat next to him.

“Why? Did Lies do something to you?”

“No,” Facts scowled. “No, he just… I thought it would be fun to have someone else who likes reading but he’s always taking my books! And he keeps- everyone thinks he’s the cutest thing! Everyone wants to spend time with him, and none with me!”

_ Kill him!  _ King’s mind supplied happily.  _ No problem if there’s no baby! _

He winced, swallowing the thoughts. “Um. Maybe just try spending more time with him?”

“I don’t  _ want  _ to!” Facts snapped, making King wince. “He’s a pain. I just want things back to the way they used to be.”

King sighed. “Look, Baby Curie. We can’t get rid of Lies. Not now. He’s already part of our family. ...But you know who’s just as big a part of that family?”

“Fear?” Facts guessed.

“Well… yes,” King chuckled. “But also you, Galileo Galalittle.”

Facts’ scowl turned into a pout. “We’re the same size.”

King laughed and pulled him into a hug. “Yeah, but you’ll always be my little baby. Always and forever after.”

Facts hesitated a little before returning the hug. They didn’t say anything after that, cuddling until dinner. But King knew that Facts knew that he meant every word. They were family. 

And they always would be.

*** 

King’s headaches were getting more frequent. And they were getting  _ worse _ . Not only did it feel like his head was splitting open, but the pain felt like it was spreading all through his body, which he was pretty sure was just a brain thing tricking his nerves or something. 

He tried to power through it and keep spending time with his family! But… apparently he wasn’t a good enough actor.

Feelings gently told him to go ahead and go rest. That he’d call him down later. If he felt better. King didn’t want to, not really. But with a hug and a kiss, Feelings convinced him.

He reached his room and collapsed onto the covers, honestly a little relieved to be somewhere quiet. He reached out, grasping the family portrait next to his bed. It was getting harder, the pain getting worse and spreading with every movement. But he managed it. 

Barely.

He clutched the picture to his chest, exhaling slowly. 

It would be fine. This would pass. He’d be okay. After all, he was Thomas’ King Creativity! Thomas needed him. Almost as much as his family did.

It would all be just-

_ Thomas! Don’t say things like that!  _

Thomas’ mother’s voice rang through the mindscape- or maybe that was just King’s head. Either way, it hurt worse than any of the pain before it. It hurt so bad all over all at once no stopping just pain pain painpainp _ ainpainpa _ **_inpainpainpAINPAINPAIN-_ **

Until- with a ripping sound that was almost anti-climactic- it was over. And King’s world went dark. 

****** *** ***

The twins were nice, but they were no King. 

They all got names because of the twins, since they couldn’t call them both creativity. But they weren’t King. 

The twins were nice, but Remus was… scary.

The twins were nice, but Roman was just… a little too mean. 

The twins were nice, but the divide between what Thomas thought was good and what he thought was bad was getting wider and wider.

The twins were nice but their family was breaking up.

The twins were nice but they weren’t their dad. They weren’t Feelings’ beautiful Jim Dear, the one who’d been with him since the beginning. 

The twins were nice but…

King… King was gone. 

And he wasn’t going to come back.


	2. But Keep the Old

There was a soft gasp somewhere to his right. He didn’t really know what that was about, or even really who it was. Instead, he just sort of vaguely registered that he was lying on a carpet, not his soft, plush bed. 

King sat up with a groan, rubbing his head. He was delighted to find that it only ached from whatever fall he’d had, not whatever… had been causing his headaches. They were gone! He was cured! He’d have to tell Feelings, oh! His Wendy Darling was going to be so delighted! Maybe they could spend all of next weekend at the meadow house to celebrate. 

He stretched and finally pried his eyes open.

...Well this wasn’t his living room.

He looked around, taking in the stairs, the big couch, the letter signs on one wall, the big tv… Oh yeah, and the five adults looking at him in various degrees of shock. 

He gave them all his most knock-off-your-feet smile and stood, startled to be… a little farther away from the floor than he remembered. He cleared his throat and bowed. 

“Greetings!” He said brightly. “And to what do I owe the pleasure of blessing you all with my presence?”

“K-King?” A voice to his right stammered. 

He turned, inclining his head. “That is my name, yes. Might I inquire after yours, fair prince?”

The man’s mouth opened and closed before finally jamming shut as he burrowed into the sleeves of the sweater wrapped around his neck. 

“...Okaaaaayyy…” 

That wasn’t quite the reaction King usually received. He glanced around at the other men. They all looked… strikingly similar. Same face, same eyes, same nose… same everything! Oh! They must be the sides of the man in the middle! But then what was  _ he  _ doing here?

He turned to said man in the middle, who looked the least surprised to see him and was looking at his sides in what King could only assume was bafflement at their lack of manners. 

“Pardon me,” King said politely. “May I inquire as to what the f/// is going on?”

He jumped a little as the swear fell out of his own mouth. Foreign yet not. It felt natural to say, but he didn’t remember learning it. He shook it off, looking at the man expectantly.

“Well,” the guy said. “You guys are all my sides, and since I’ve been getting to know you guys better we were talking about fusing. It’s happened with the others a couple times and the two sides of my creativity wanted to know if they could do it too and then…” He gestured at King. “You showed up and everyone else started acting weird.”

King blinked. Then laughed.

“That’s not right!” He chuckled. “I’m not your side! I’m terribly sorry, you seem like a fine fellow, but that’s incorrect. I can’t be your side, I’m the creative side of the great Thomas Sanders! Prince to be and movie star in the making!”

The man swallowed and raised a hand awkwardly. “Present.”

King felt his heart drop like a stone. Cold slowly overtook his body and he stumbled back. 

“No,” He shook his head. “No that- no. No Thomas- we’re fifteen! We were only fifteen! There’s no- you can’t have been without me for that long! What happened?”

He looked around desperately for answers, finding nothing but sorrow and shock in the faces around him. 

He trembled. “We were  _ fifteen!” _

“You split.” A voice croaked. 

He whirled to see a man in a bowler cap, head lowered so far that King couldn’t see the face that no doubt matched the others around him. One that likely matched his, as well.

“You split,” He said again. “Thomas was rejecting the unacceptable parts of his creativity and it tore you in half. Split into ‘good’ creativity and ‘bad.’ But now that he’s accepting that part of himself, the twins were balanced enough to fuse and…”

The man raised his head, showing a face that was half covered in scales and eyes slowly filling with tears.

“And you’re back. Fifteen years, but you’re back.”

King stared at him, comprehension dawning slowly. 

“L-Lies?” He asked softly. 

The snake man let out a choked sob and King rushed to gather him in his arms. 

“Lies! Oh, oh baby I’m so sorry. I never would have left if I could help it, sweetie I’m so sorry!”

“N-nothing to apologize for,” Lies sniffed, smiling up at King. “I uh- I don’t really go by Lies anymore, though, Daddy.”

King blinked at the insinuations the word ‘Daddy’ cause to surface in his mind. He shook his head a little, trying to clear it like an etch-a-sketch. 

“That’s okay.” He said after a minute. “I may have missed a bunch but I’ll learn it all, okay?”

Lies sniffled and nodded before burrowing back into King’s worn shirt. King rubbed circles into his back as he looked around the room, now with fresh eyes trying to slot his family members into the strangers around him.

“...Fear?” He guessed, looking at the one in dark makeup and a hoodie that looked like it’d been made of scraps. “...And is that my little scientist in that big boy tie? Look at you both, you’re all- all grown up. But that means…”

He turned to look at the first man. The one he’d first seen. The one who’d started crying almost right after seeing him. He was still burrowed in his sweater sleeves, muffling his sobs as best he could. 

After a moment’s hesitation, King set Lies to the side and rose. He crossed the room, cape fluttering dramatically just as he’d designed it to years ago. He set one hand on the man’s shoulder, which only made him cry harder. 

King swallowed thickly. “Feelings? Wendy Darling, can you look at me? Let me see those pretty brown eyes of yours?”

The man shuddered. But slowly… slowly… lifted his head, gazing up at King with the most sad but hopeful face he’d ever, ever seen. 

He smiled softly. “Hello love.”

Feelings threw his arms around King’s neck, crying harder. King wrapped his arms around him, shushing him as softly and gently as he could, rubbing his back and running his fingers through his hair. 

“Hey hey shhhh,” He whispered. “It’s okay. It’s okay, I’m here. I’m here, Belle to my Beast, I’m here.”

***

King frowned down at the picture in his hands. Two strangers stared up at him, one in a white prince’s outfit with a red sash, another in a green and black monstrosity that looked like glitter had thrown up on it. The prince looked almost mad, whereas the green one looked nearly manic with joy. They looked like him… but also not. In a way. Grand and fancy, but… one too clean and the other too dirty. They weren’t him at all, even though they resembled him. 

“What happened to the cape?” He asked, instead of any of the other questions that swirled in his head. “I know it’s been a while but… I’ve always had a cape.” 

Feeli- Mor-  _ Patton  _ leaned over to look at the photo in his hands. “Oh. Well I don’t know about Remus but Roman stopped wearing it to try and look more grown up after he and Logan had a fight. From there it just sort of got more and more elaborate.”

King frowned at it. “And… the mustache?”

Patton shrugged helplessly. “I asked once. He said he liked tickling whatever came near his mouth.”

King wrinkled his nose a little and started laughing. “Oh goodness! That’s- oh my!” His laughter grew as he thought of all the possible things that could be talking about. “That’s hilarious. ...Do I have a mustache? I haven’t looked in a mirror yet.”

Patton squinted at his face. “No… wait. Maybe? It looks a little fuzzy up there. You’ve got a beard coming in though.”

He ran a hand down King’s cheek, lingering on his jaw and taking in the sandpaper feeling beneath his fingertips. King savored the touch, leaning into it a little. He gently grasped the hand and held it in place while he tilted his head to place a kiss on his palm. Patton smiled at him warmly. 

“I missed you.” He said quietly. “I missed you so much.” 

King smiled back a little sadly. “I’m sorry, Wendy Darling. If I’d been able to prevent it-”

“I know.” Patton sighed. “...I don’t- I wish I could say that I would have helped you stop it if I knew but… the twins…” He ran his other hand down his face. “I wish all three of you could exist at once. That way there’d be no one to miss.”

“Do you miss them?” He asked carefully. “Already?”

Patton shrugged. “Not yet. But I don’t- I can’t morally condone trading two lives for one or vice versa. I have missed you every day for fifteen years. That’s- that’s a whole lotta days. But at the same time I can’t picture a life without the twins in it.” Tears gathered at the edges of his eyes and he looked down, as if trying to hide his face from King. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wish it wasn’t so messy. I wish I could love you enough to never want them back-”

“Shhhh,” King said softly, pulling Patton into a hug gently. “It’s alright, love. ...I too wish we could all exist at once. I’d love to meet these other men you love so much.”

Patton chokes out a wet laugh. “I- it isn’t the same love. I mean it is- I do love them romantically. But not romantically in the same way that I love you. It’s not the same relationship, the same way that my relationship with Roman isn’t the same as my relationship with Remus. I don’t love them the same way I love you.”

King pulled back a little. “...You don’t only love them because they were me, do you?”

Patton blinked. “What? No! No, I- I fell for them separately. Completely and totally, but separately. I…” He hesitated. “I don’t want to say that I moved on cause- well- you’re here! And it’s pretty clear that I never stopped loving you. But I moved forward. I didn’t fall in love with your reflections, I fell in love with the parts of them that fill in the spaces that aren’t you.”

King took a deep breath, hesitating a little. “...I won’t question that. If you say it with such conviction then it must be so. But my love, my dearest, my precious Wendy Darling… Swear to me that you do love me? Please I… I need to hear it. Whispered or shouted with the strongest conviction.”

Patton softened. He placed his hands on either side of King’s head and guided their foreheads together with all the tenderness of a long-wedded couple. 

“King Creativity Sanders.” He murmured fervently. “I love you. I have loved you for far longer than you can know. Losing you almost destroyed me once upon a time and I am overwhelmed with happiness that it wasn’t the end for us. Having you back is- It’s- I can’t even describe how happy it makes me! Because I love you, I always have loved you, and I never stopped loving you. You are loved, my darling. My dearest Jim Dear. I love you.”

Tears prickled like cacti in King’s eyes and he scrubbed at them furiously. “Well. ...Same to you, my love.”

Patton smiled. He leaned back into King’s embrace with a happy hum and King squeezed him tightly. 

“I love you too…” He whispered softly. “More than you’ll ever know.”

***

“We should get you a proper name.” Logan said, placing down another piece of the puzzle. “Not just ‘King’ or ‘Dad.’ A proper name, since you encompass more than simply Creativity.”

King placed down a middle piece. “Oh? What would you suggest Issac Newtiny?”

Logan scowled up at him. “I am hardly a little boy now, Dad.”

“Maybe so. But I told you then that you’ll always be my little boy and I meant it!”

Logan’s cheeks dusted with pink and he huffed again. “Anyway. For your name I was thinking something from Roman mythology would be most fitting. Since the twins both derived their names from the myth of its founding. I have composed a list of fitting names if you would desire to look at it.”

King shrugged. “I don’t know. On the one hand it might be nice to have a proper name. On the other… King is who I am. It always has been. I’m reluctant to go about changing that now, after so long.”

“I can respect that reasoning.” Logan said, placing down an edge piece. “I just… I suppose I do not wish to leave you out. All the rest of us have names and you… you being our father it seems logical to me that you ought to have a proper name.” 

King smiled softly. “Awwww, Alexander Graham Baby! I love you too!”

Logan’s blush worsened. “Father…”

“What? You may show your love differently than others, but I’ve always been able to pick up on it.”

Logan suppressed a smile. “You were always good at that.”

King chuckled. “So what are these names you’re thinking of?”

“Well as I stated, most of them are based off of Ancient Roman theology,” Logan said. “I have an entire list if you would like me to recite it?”

“Hit me, Baby Tesla!”

Logan rolled his eyes but nodded. “Alright. So there’s Aeneas, Mars, Romulus, Caesar, Augustus, Claudius, Nero, Justinian, Marcus, Jupiter, Caligula, Vasilius, Lucius, Antony, and Domitian. I have others but I do not wish to overwhelm you.”

King blinked. “Well… I do appreciate that.”

Logan preened a little. “Do any of those stand out to you?”

“Uhh,” King thought for a bit, trying to think. “...I liked Mars, Aeneas, and Romulus? They seem the strongest ones to me.”

“Alright.” Logan tapped his chin. “I was leaning towards those myself, but I did not want my list to be biased.”

King chuckled. “So… what are we thinking here?”

Logan hesitated. “...If you do not think it cumbersome… Romulus perhaps? I know it’s a bit close to both of the twins’ names but…”

King took a deep breath. “Well… I suppose it does make sense. Roman and Remus, right? Romulus would be the other half of that tale…” He exhaled. “I suppose it’s funny. In a way I am their progenitor, the one who gave them life. This name and my temporary return can be something they’ve given me back.”

“...Temporary?” 

King and Logan looked over towards the staircase. Virgil stood there, looking at King with large, distressed eyes. King- or rather Romulus now- sighed. He bid Logan goodbye and rose to his feet, crossing to Virgil. 

He rested his hands on either of his eldest’s shoulders and smiled softly.

“...Let’s take a walk.”

***

The two walked through a garden in the imagination. It had changed a lot from what Romulus remembered last. There was a clear dividing line right down it’s middle. Two kingdoms, one of death and decay and impropriety ruled from a single black tower, and one of love and beauty and gracefulness ruled from a huge golden castle.

Opposites, but not as at odds as one would think. Romulus could see parts of either one in both. The flowers in the darker kingdom and the grisly bloodstains on the other. They disagreed with one another, but that did not entirely mean they wished to be completely separate.

The garden they were currently in was a creation of Romulus himself. It threaded down the center, leading right down to the meadow house that he honestly couldn’t believe was still there. It blended and married the two styles in a way not even he had been capable of before. He wondered how much of that was due to his current nature as a fusion. From what he remembered, fusions were only possible when the two components were balanced and in sync. If that created him then it was only natural that he could harmonize their versions of creativity as well. 

“Dad?” Virgil asked, snapping him from his thoughts. “What did you mean by temporary?”

Romulus softened, biting his lip. He returned his gaze to the tree in front of him.

“Isn’t it lovely?” He asked. “Were it a skeleton this tree would be the creepiest thing imaginable. But with these white roses in full blossom on it’s boughs it’s got a sort of haunting beauty to it, no?”

“I guess.” Virgil scowled. “Can we get back to the point, please?”

King sighed. “Trees like this don’t bloom year round, you know. They don’t come from everywhere. You need a complete union of creative talents to pull them together. ...Rather like me.”

He looked back to Virgil, finding his shoulders slumped and his head hanging. 

“Oh baby…” He murmured. “I wish that I could stay. But I’m not… only me anymore. If the twins are as at odds as everyone has told me it’s only a matter of time before they tear apart again. I’d rather not experience that a second time, honestly. It… it hurts when it’s an accident. So your dad and I are going to work out a time to make it happen on purpose instead.”

“You’re going to rip yourself apart?” Virgil exclaimed.

“Only to minimize the pain of the event.” Romulus said sternly. 

He crossed to Virgil and put his hands on his shoulders again. His heart broke as he realized he was trembling under his fingers. 

“Virgil,” He said softly. “This isn’t something that I want to do or that I desire to do or even anything that I’m going to enjoy. I don’t want to leave you all. Not again. ...But when faced with it being an inevitably… I would rather go out on my own terms.”

“But why do you have to go!” Virgil exclaimed. “It- it’s not fair!!”

“No, it isn’t.” Romulus tried for a smile. “But it isn’t fair to the twins to keep me here, either. They’ve existed for just as long as I have, maybe longer at this point. They’ve earned their right to live and to be a part of your family. If there was a way for all of us to stay then I would take it in a heartbeat. Even if that involved ripping out my own heart and putting it through a paper shredder. But there isn’t. So what we can do now is ask them to fuse again sometimes, okay? Just so I can see my little boy?”

Virgil sniffed and nodded, though Romulus could see the tears shining in those dark eyes he loves so much.

He pulls Virgil into a hug. “Oh come now, don’t cry. You’ll make your makeup run, have I taught you nothing? The runny look is only good if it’s intentional, you know that.”

Virgil laughed wetly. “...I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I know, Get Up Kid, I know. But I’ll always be in your heart, okay? I’m never going to really leave you.”

“...Okay. ...I love you.”

“I love you too.”

***

“I guess everyone else has had their big, emotional moments, huh?” Deceit snarked. “I’m tempted to pass just to retain my individuality.”

“Ah, you don’t mean that.” Romulus laughed. “C’mon! Help your old dad pick out a new outfit.”

Deceit wrinkled his nose. “Charming.”

“No sorry, he can’t come to the phone right now, will Disarming work instead?”

Deceit blinked at him. “...What?”

“Alright that one didn’t land…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just thought… Prince Charming, Duke Harming, and King Disarming? Cause it all rhymes and Disarming works for both good and bad things?”

“Wow what a good joke,” Deceit deadpanned with an eye roll. “Totally works better when you explain it.”

Romulus shrugs. “Can’t win em all!”

“Why do you even want my help for this?” Deceit asked. “I mean- I absolutely get it, but maybe you should explain for the audience at home.”

“The ones probably curled up in their beds reading this instead of sleeping or sneaking glances at their phone rather than listening to the teacher?” Romulus shrugged. “No problem! I just thought it fitting that I ask you, really. You’re clearly the best dressed outside of myself and my components. I mean, I love them all, I do! But a cardigan, tie, and hoodie? Not exactly playing into my theatrical sensibilities.”

He ignored how Deceit pretended not to preen in favor of holding up two scarves.

“So, whaddya say?” 

“...Alright fine. I’ll help you. But only so you stop looking like a mishmash of a superhero and whatever idiot sees fit to wear a paper crown.”

Romulus nodded. “Respectable stance. So I was thinking that I’d like something that paid homage to both their outfits without leaning too much either way. Preferably as me as possible, you know? Even though I suppose they’re both me…”

Deceit rolled his eyes. “Start by eliminating what you dislike from them both and then we’ll work with whatever that leaves us, okay?”

“Alrighty!” Romulus said cheerfully. “I will get right on that.”

He scribbled on the picture of the twins, circling the sashs, the puffy sleeves, the plunging neckline, the little stripes here and there, and the shaped of a collar. He glanced up at Deceit while he worked, noting the almost bored way he was lounging across Romulus’ bed with his eyes flitting between the king himself and anything else. ...He’d kind of figured this would happen, honestly.

Out of all those he claimed as his children, Romulus had spent the least amount of time with Deceit. Not because he loved him less! He would never dream of such a qualifier. No, he’d just… Not had as much time to spend time with him. Deceit was the youngest and had only sprung into being a year or so before King split into the twins. It would stand to reason that Romulus had less of a bond with him, since they hadn’t had time to forge one.

But that didn’t mean he had to like it. 

He cleared his throat and presented the final product to Deceit with a flourish. “What do you think?”

Deceit curled his lip. “Not at all tacky or gaush.” 

“Perfect then!” Romulus grinned. “I really do need help with the colors, though. I’m absolutely stuck.” 

Deceit huffed a little but looked over the color wheel hanging above the desk all the same.

“All the colors of the rainbow have been taken, I’m afraid.” He quipped. “You’ll have to use something else.”

Romulus tapped his chin. “What about… gold? And maybe silver?”

Deceit blinked. “W- Gold is just shiny yellow.”

“Exactly! So I’ll have a part of you everywhere I go!” 

Deceit blinked once. Twice. Then his features crumpled a little bit and he curled into Romulus’ side. 

“Shut up.” He said, voice muffled a little. “That’s stupid. I hate you.”

Romulus only chuckled and ran a hand down the little snake’s back. “I love you too.”

***

“Are you ready?” 

“No,” Patton admitted. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be.”

Romulus cupped his cheek. “Hey… You’re not losing me, remember? I’ll always be here in some way. In your heart. In the twins. Sorta like a coma patient that left his children behind.”

Patton snorted a bit. “Except there’s not even a body to talk to.”

“Well… I’m afraid that I can’t help with that. Though I could find a way to give you one to talk to, it wouldn’t be me.”

Patton wrinkled his nose. “No thank you.”

“I figured.” Romulus laughed. “But I will always be here in some way. Even if it’s just in the love in your heart.” He pressed a kiss to Patton’s forehead tenderly and smiled. “My Wendy Darling.”

Patton smiled back, tears sparkling in his eyes too. “My John Dear.”

***

It didn’t feel like splitting this time. It didn’t feel like tearing and ripping and aching. This time was… gentler. 

This time he wasn’t alone. This time he looked around the room at his family, sending them all one last smile, before closing his eyes.

This time he felt less ripped and more… wiped away. In one smooth movement. He was gone, much in the same way he’d come back. All in one bright flash of light. 

***

_ Dear twins,  _

_ I know you probably don’t know who I am. Or if you do you probably don’t care what I have to say. I know if the situations were reversed I wouldn’t want to hear from the one I think everyone wishes me to be. _

_ But that’s part of why I’m writing this.  _

_ I don’t know what it’s like to be the two of you in a family that’s missing me, but you also don’t know what it’s like to be me in a family that’s missing you. And they do miss you right now, I promise. No one will tell me as such but they don’t need to. It’s evident in the pictures on the wall and the fridge. The way they talk about you both. The way I’ll do something and they’ll blink as if they’re expecting someone else to be in my place. I know they miss you, the same way that they miss me.  _

_ Patton told me that he wishes all three of us could exist at once and I find myself wishing the same. I would love to meet you both. You seem like wonderful people. And I'm not just saying that because both of you are half of me. _

_...Actually I don’t like that very much. You seem different than I am. Vastly different. Calling you half of me sounds like you’re not individuals but it’s incredibly evident that you are so. There’s things the others talk about you doing that never would have occured to me! And I don’t mean that negatively, either so don’t start.  _

_ I’m proud of you both. Of who you have become, even if I have no way to see your journey. I am so proud.  _

_ Take care of each other. But first and foremost: take care of our family. _

_ I love you. _

_ -King Romulus.  _


End file.
